House votes to roll back energy efficiency standards for mobile homes, potentially raising utility bills for low-income residents

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that could significantly weaken energy efficiency requirements for manufactured homes, potentially increasing utility costs for some of America’s most vulnerable residents. The bill would strip the Department of Energy (DOE) of its authority to set efficiency standards for mobile homes and return that power to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

This regulatory shift could have major financial consequences for manufactured home residents, who earn an average income of around $40,000 and already face disproportionately high energy costs. In 2022, the DOE finalized new efficiency rules projected to save residents of double-wide manufactured homes an average of $475 annually on utility bills, with an estimated $5 billion in avoided energy costs over 30 years. However, these standards have faced delays and are not yet in effect.

The legislation passed with bipartisan support, as 57 Democrats joined 206 Republicans in backing the measure. Supporters argue it will streamline regulations and keep housing costs affordable upfront, with some calling it necessary to resolve bureaucratic conflicts between agencies. Critics, including Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, who grew up in a manufactured home, argue the bill primarily benefits builders at residents’ expense.

If the Senate passes the bill, manufactured homes would fall back under HUD’s outdated 1994 energy standards, and advocates worry it could take years to develop new efficiency requirements. The legislation now faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where its environmental and economic impacts will continue to be debated.